


Don't Make Me Remember

by Wildcard_Rumi



Series: Takuto Is Ren's Dad AU [13]
Category: Persona 5 Royal
Genre: Takuto is Ren's dad au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25487137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildcard_Rumi/pseuds/Wildcard_Rumi
Summary: Part four of Buried Memories.Goro and Sumire give Takuto their answer to his reality, but Ren doesn't take their answer very well.
Series: Takuto Is Ren's Dad AU [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705927
Comments: 13
Kudos: 138





	Don't Make Me Remember

_**BANG!** _

The loud sound echoed throughout the enormous auditorium as the large doors slammed open.

"Ren!"

"Senpai!"

The two black masked thieves screeched as they spotted the raven haired boy they had been searching for. Ren was unconscious. Sat delicately in a large chair at the top of some stairs on the stage. His hands daintily placed on his lap as his head tilted to the side. His glasses were nowhere to be seen. His closed eyes were slightly red, suggesting that he had been crying. So, they were able to make him remember?

Maruki was also there. Stood protectively next to the chair, soothingly stroking his sleeping son's hair. A troubled frown appeared on his face at the sight of Goro and Kasu-... No, she had returned to calling herself Sumire now.

"Why…?"

"What the hell have you done to Ren?!" Goro demanded, seething anger dripping from every syllable. Maruki was unaffected by the hatred.

"I haven't done anything. He's only sleeping. I'd never hurt him… You, however, just had to make him remember again, didn't you? Once his inner turmoil begins to settle, I'll have him remember his life the way he wishes to live it." The chestnut haired father informed the duo, keeping his hand gently grasped on Ren's shoulder the entire time.

"The life he wishes for, huh?" Scoffed Goro. "Call it what you like - You're just brainwashing people for your own satisfaction. You may be his father, but you haven't seen him for ten years; You have no idea what he really wants."

Sumire looked off to the side. She could tell that Maruki's intentions were pure, she knew from the sheer happiness and confidence she felt when she lived as Kasumi. But still… It was because of those days that she could see that what he was doing was wrong.

A sad frown enveloped Takuto's face. "I'm wholly aware that some will interpret my acts that way… But if that self-satisfaction leads to the happiness of thousands of others, don't you agree that outcome is for the best?" He argued, hoping to make the teens see his point of view. He was sick of seeing innocent people suffer for no reason… Like, Ren… Ren… He shouldn't have to be haunted by his nightmarish memories for his entire life… He deserved better than that… The man turned his attention back to the thieves.

"You went and checked in on your friends, didn't you? This reality is the one they all wished for… Did any of them seem troubled by this fact?" He asked in an attempt to persuade them. "This reality is the 'true' reality - you just have to accept it as such. Once you do, you'll be just as happy as they are. Didn't you see it for yourselves? Your friends don't just want to live these lives - they want you to choose this reality for yourselves and live happily too."

Sumire grimaced at the pristine tiled floor as she recalled everyone's smiles. Sakamoto-senpai finally being able to run again… Takamaki-senpai free from those awful memories of Kamoshida… Kitagawa-senpai living with the mentor he deserved… Niijima-senpai being able to live peacefully with her father and sister.

An unimpressed scowl consumed Goro's face as he crossed his arms. This was utter nonsense. A complete waste of time. Just a madman's ramblings to justify his messiah complex. But… Still… Futaba looked so happy simply spending time with her mother… And Haru… She was delighted to see her father not completely obsessed with profits… He clicked his tongue as he shook those thoughts from his mind. No. He wasn't going to be won over with some fairytale eternal happiness bullshit. It was just that. A fairytale.

"Please, I want you to understand… For their sake, for Ren's sake, as well as yours…" Takuto softly pleaded with a gentle smile.

All of their friends wanted to live in this reality… Although… Hold on… When they spoke to Morgana…

"Wait… I met them when I was locked up in Kamoshida's palace… I met Ryuji and… Who…? And when we went into Mementos, I would transform into a…"

No. They didn't want this. Deep down, they didn't want this. Despite not having very deep bonds with the group themselves, Goro and Sumire trusted them. They'd come back. They knew it.

"Well, it's time. For the sake of Ren, and the rest of your friends… I ask you to give me your answer." Takuto requested, giving Ren's hand an encouraging squeeze. They had to agree… There was nothing to stop them. The two thieves glanced at each other with knowing stares before looking back up at the man dressed in white.

"I won't accept this reality."

"There's no way in hell that I'll ever accept this reality."

Takuto's eyes widened in complete shock.

"Huh?"

They… actually said… No?

Goro flashed a cocky smirk. "Negotiations seem to have broken down."

A disappointed expression consumed Takuto's face as he looked down at his son. "... I see. It seems we still haven't reached an understanding…"

"No…"

An unexpected voice spoke up with a broken whisper. Everyone turned their attention to Ren. His eyes were now open, and yet there wasn't any light in them at all. An anguished grimace was the only readable expression on his face as he regained consciousness. The two thieves couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as he shakily stood up. He was alive… He was okay… But still. They knew from the look in his eyes that this probably wasn't going to go well.

"You're not serious, right? Please… I'm begging you… Both of you… Don't make me remember…" Ren begged, growing more frantic as he spoke. Takuto subtly held out his arm behind Ren after noticing the way his legs were trembling.

"Senpai…" Sumire muttered half-heartedly.

"Don't run from the truth." Goro bluntly commanded him, hiding his concern for him behind a tough exterior.

"Why…?! This pain is too much! I can't keep seeing that nightmare every time I close my eyes! Why can't I just leave it behind me?!" Ren shrieked, his trembling growing more fierce as his blood began pumping erratically. "Rumi is gone! She died protecting me! She's never coming back and it's all my fault! I can't- I can't live that kind of life!"

Takuto's eyes widened at those words. Ren… blamed himself for Rumi's death…? No, that was ridiculous… It was the burglars' fault! Ren was the victim! A pained scowl consumed his face as his resolve to fix this torturous world and save his son from his pain grew stronger.

As Ren's emotions grew out of control, blue flames enveloped his entire body. His clothes were replaced with his Joker outfit. With a newfound, unstable resolve, Ren threw himself down the stairs with a graceful flip and landed in front of his former teammates. Sumire's eyes widened as she realised what Ren was doing.

"Please… Don't try to stop me… If you do, then I'll-!" Ren pleaded as he pulled out his knife and pointed it at the two.

"A-Are you serious, Senpai...?" Asked Sumire, wanting this to all be some sort of terrible joke.

Goro shook his head. "I'm disappointed, Ren… I thought you were stronger than this… Turns out, you're simply a coward…" He muttered, hoping a little push would make Ren question his actions. It didn't work. Ren's eyes widened as his teeth grinded together in a desperate rage.

"I'm not going back to that life! I can't! I won't!" He screeched, his mask bursting into flames and disappearing from his face. Arsene floated menacingly behind the unhinged boy.

"I-I don't want to hurt him… There's two of us against him, shouldn't we hold back?" Sumire questioned as she reluctantly drew her rapier.

"No. Ren's different from most Persona users. He can summon multiple Personas; you never know what his next move will be… Don't let your guard down for even a second, understand?" Goro stated, staring at Ren with a determined glare as he unsheathed his sword. He was going to bring Ren back to his senses.

"R-Right… I understand, Senpai." Sumire nervously agreed. The look in Ren's eyes worried them. They looked crazed, desperate, deranged… scared… sorrowful… So many conflicting emotions were swirling around in those onyx orbs of his.

"Please… Don't make me do this…" Ren begged, his hand clutching tightly onto his dagger. Goro and Sumire simply took their battle stances. Takuto remained at his position at the top of the stairs, watching the unfolding events with worry. He didn't want it to come to this… He didn't want Ren to suffer any more than he already had… But maybe, his desire for this reality could persuade them… He decided to put his faith in his son. The raven haired boy grimaced in agitation. And made the first strike.

"Arsene!"

Pain coursed through his body as he forced his persona to move. Arsene obeyed his master's command, launching a powerful curse attack directly at Sumire. She barely had any time to react. Luckily for her, Goro managed to fling himself in front of her in time. He hissed quietly as he took the brunt of the attack.

"Dammit, he really means business…" He uttered in annoyance before briefly glancing back at his teammate.

"Are you alright, Sumire?"

"Y-Yes… Thank you, Senpai…" She awkwardly answered. She couldn't believe it… Ren was really…

"Do you understand…? I'm not going back! You can't make me! I'm never going back to being that pathetic child!" Ren asked, clutching onto his head as Arsene returned to his mask. Goro frowned. It seemed like… Ren was in pain…? Summoning a persona wasn't like awakening to one… It didn't hurt… Why was he…?

"Running away won't solve anything, Senpai! Trust me, I'm speaking from experience!" Sumire attempted to reason with him. But, Ren was too close to the edge to hear her.

"Shut up!!!" He shrieked as he summoned Arsene again. The look in his eyes terrified Sumire. He looked so fragile...As if he were just seconds away from snapping and shattering completely. The persona struck. Lifting his leg and swinging down with an immense amount of force.

"Loki!" Goro summoned his own persona, who immediately emerged from his mask and blocked Arsene's bladed heel with his sword. An agitated growl rumbled through Ren's throat. He made Arsene strike again, swinging his other leg towards Loki's head.

"Cendrillon! Hurry!" Sumire gasped urgently. Her persona obeyed, springing forth and launching a bless attack at her Senpai's persona. A direct hit. Arsene staggered backwards, clutching onto his injured shoulder.

"Again!" Sumire commanded, hoping to gain an edge in the battle. Cendrillon struck again, firing a much more powerful attack at the curse proficient persona. The energy exploded directly into Arsene's face. Ren let out a pained grunt as he and Arsene clutched onto their heads.

"I won't… go… back…! Arsene...! Eigaon...!" Ren hissed breathlessly as he composed himself from the attack. However, Arsene didn't move. The persona looked back at his master. Despite wearing a mask, Goro and Sumire could tell that he had a sorrowful expression.

"Wh-? Arsene? Wh-What are you doing?! Eigaon!" Ren demanded, baffled by his persona's sudden refusal to listen. Arsene simply returned to the mask.

"Th-The hell…? Arsene!" Ren muttered in confusion as he ripped off his mask. Nothing.

"Arsene!"

Nothing.

"Dammit! Listen to me! Arsene!"

Nothing.

"Come out already! Arsene! Ravage them!"

… Nothing.

"Dammit… Dammit…! Dammit!" Ren growled, growing more and more enraged by the second as he gripped onto his mask.

"Fine! I don't need you! Metatron!"

His mask disappeared.

…

The persona didn't appear.

His mask returned to his face.

"Wh-What…? Why…?" Ren muttered, his eyes widened as he tried to make sense of what was happening. He gritted his teeth before trying again.

"Mother Harlot!"

…

"Cybele!"

…

"Ishtar!"

…

"Futsunushi! Odin! Chi You! Ongyo-Ki! Zaou-Gongen!" Ren began screeching out the names of any personas he could remember, growing more desperate as none of them made an appearance. His breathing grew erratic. Why?! Why were his personas abandoning him?! He couldn't face them alone! He needed his personas to help him! There had to be one! Anyone!

"S-Senpai…? What's going on?" Sumire asked Goro, her entire body tensing as she watched the pitiful scene in front of her.

"I… I don't know…" Goro eventually admitted. None of Ren's personas would listen to him…? Just how messed up was his mental state…?

"Vohu Manah!"

A persona finally appeared. A relieved smile appeared on Ren's face as a delighted laugh escaped his mouth.

"Finally!" He cheered, celebrating this small victory. Goro and Sumire prepared themselves for whatever was about to follow. Goro had never seen this persona before… He had to stay alert and memorise every detail about it. The persona positioned itself between it's master and enemies, seemingly protecting Ren from the duo.

"I'm not going back… I'm going to kill my old worthless self… Vohu Manah… Please make them see that… Divine Judgement." A broken chuckle left Ren's mouth as he gave the command. Vohu Manah obeyed without question.

"Shit!" Goro yelped as he tried to evade the incoming attack. He failed. It hit Loki square in the chest. A pained cough erupted from Goro's throat as he collapsed onto his knees. Divine Judgement… That was an extremely powerful bless attack… If that persona could wield that skill, that meant it probably...

"Senpai! Rrgh, Cendrillon! Kougaon!" Sumire hurriedly summoned her persona as she rushed over to heal Goro.

"No! Sumire, don't-!" Goro's warning came too late. Cendrillon attacked. Vohu Manah absorbed the strike.

"Wh-" Sumire gasped in disbelief as she healed Goro's injuries.

"Dammit… I thought so… It has Drain Bless; Bless attacks won't do shit to it… Alright… You keep it busy with melee attacks, and I'll deal all of the real damage with Loki. Okay?" Goro huffed as he came up with a simple plan on the fly.

"Okay. Ready when you are, Senpai!" Sumire instantly agreed. She trusted Goro's instincts.

"Wh-What are you whispering about…? Quit it!" Ren anxiously demanded. He looked so tired and beaten down… It hurt to look at him… Goro struggled to make sense of it. Why was summoning his personas putting such a massive strain on Ren?

Sumire sprung into action. Running around her crazed Senpai and pulling out her gun. She aimed at Vohu Manah and fired. Some bullets hit. Some missed. Some were blocked. She didn't care about doing any damage, she just needed the persona's attention on her. It didn't take long before she was out of ammo. The redhead clicked her tongue as she returned her gun to its place on her hip. Goro had managed to get a few hits in, but nothing major.

'C'mon… Think, Sumire, think!' She compelled herself to think of a distraction, keeping her body moving to make herself a more difficult target. There was only one thing that came to mind. She really didn't want to do it, but it was the most efficient distraction.

"Cendrillon! Sword Dance!" She commanded. Vohu Manah braced itself for the attack; but it wasn't the target. Cendrillon pounced to her intended target: Ren. The raven haired boy gasped in shock as he noticed the persona charging towards him. Vohu Manah hurriedly flung itself in front of Ren to block the attack. The swords sunk into its back. The persona and master both winced in pain, completely unaware of the other thief's incoming attack.

"Laevateinn!" Goro squawked as he launched Loki towards the defenseless persona. They didn't even have time to react before the energy filled blade slashed through Vohu Manah's back. The searing pain coursing through his back completely knocked all of the air out of Ren's lungs. A breathless gasp escaped his mouth as he stumbled backwards, only just managing to stay on his feet. Vohu Manah was still in the fight, but significantly weakened.

"Why are you doing this to me? Please, just leave me alone!" Ren begged as he struggled to regain his breath.

Goro ignored his plea. Ren needed to face the truth. If forcing him back into reality meant that he would grow to hate him, so be it. Goro felt as if it was his duty. Ren had pulled him back from the brink in Shido's palace… Now it was time for Goro to return the favour. Sumire felt as if she owed it to Ren too. He was always there for her whenever she needed someone to lean on. He was always willing to listen to her. Now, it was her turn. Sure, Ren was in a lot of pain, but Sumire understood the pain of losing someone you held dear right in front of your eyes. She'd be there, lending him her shoulder to cry on and her ear for him to vent all of his emotions.

Ren could barely withstand Goro's relentless assault on Vohu Manah, and yet… The persona stood its ground. It's desire to protect Ren from any and all pain was more powerful than any sword. Ren gasped for breath as Sumire acted as Goro's backup, providing support and defending him from all Bless skills. Why…? Why…?!

"Why do you want me to suffer…?! All your reality does is kick me when I'm down! I'm not a criminal! I'm not a murderer! I-I'm… I'm not bad luck… I… I… I can't take it anymore…" Ren's resolve was weakening. Why was he fighting his friends again? Why did no one ever listen to him? Why was he even trying anymore? Fatigue got the better of him as Loki landed that final deadly strike on Vohu Manah, making the resilient persona finally return to its mask in defeat.

"Why…?" Was all Ren could utter as he collapsed onto his knees.

"Ngh…" Ren groaned, clutching onto his head as pain coursed through it.

"Seems like you lost." Goro remarked, sheathing his sword as he stared down at the boy he considered his best friend.

"Why…?" Whimpered Ren as he grimaced down at the floor, irritated tears filling his eyes.

"You need to stop, Senpai…" Sumire uttered worriedly, hoping that the fight had brought Ren to his senses. Ren looked up at her with a thoughtful gaze before frowning and looking away.

"No… I can't… So many people… They've suffered because of me… If I wasn't there that day, Rumi wouldn't have died… If I had never transferred to Shujin, no one would have had to face that horrible truth… If I… I had never awoken to my persona… None of this would have happened… Why don't you understand?! Please, I beg you…" Ren refused Sumire's plea, shaking his head like a scared child as tears spilled down his cheeks. Goro let out a troubled huff at those words. Why did he always pin the blame on himself? It was like Ren was determined to turn himself in a martyr…

"Ren…" Muttered Takuto as he stared down at his dejected and defeated son crumpled on the ground. It seemed that his friends were never going to listen to reason… If they really cared… They'd listen to Ren's pleas and leave him alone. And yet all they did was add to his suffering… That was enough. Takuto was done. If they couldn't accept that Ren was happier in his reality, then he would force them to stay away. With a quiet, determined huff, Takuto began walking down the stairs.

The sound of his footsteps tore Goro and Sumire's attention away from mournful Ren on the floor. The raven haired lifted his head and looked back at his approaching father with tearful eyes. Takuto outstretched his arms into an inviting gesture as he smiled lovingly at his son. Ren shakily pushed himself back onto his feet.

"I can give you strength so that you don't have to suffer anymore." He declared, bringing a little hope back to his son's despair ridden soul.

"Dad…" Muttered Ren, lowering his head. It still felt a little strange, calling Takuto 'dad' again after ten years apart. The man dressed in white softly placed his hand on top of Ren's head, gently ruffling his hair as he smiled down at him.

"Tell me: if you want your pain to end… And to start our lives over again…" Takuto closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Ren's. The tearful teen closed his eyes and leaned into his father's comforting touch. Taking a deep breath, Takuto's eyes snapped back open as he spoke up with determination.

"I'll actualize it!"

With that declaration, Takuto almost instantly summoned Azathoth. The persona leapt into action, wrapping it's tendrils around Ren's wrists and ankles while forming a protective wall around him and Takuto.

"Wha-?!" Ren gasped in shock at the sudden grip on him, leaving him unable to move. He anxiously glanced around at the unnerving persona as it lifted him into the air. Goro and Sumire barely had any time to react before Ren was held above them. Takuto simply smiled encouragingly at Ren.

"It's alright, Ren… You'll be safe up there. Just leave it to me now." He cooed soothingly. As his sentence finished, energy from Azathoth coursed through Ren's body, making every nerve scream in agony. That pain was released from Ren in the form of a bloodcurdling scream before he lost consciousness, his head flopping uselessly to the side as his mask burst into flames and disappeared from his face.

Arsene appeared before them. However he was… different… A malicious, desperate aura radiated from him. Glowing red veins pulsed through his midnight blue wings, making them give off a concerning purple light. His eyes glowered with a seething rage. The black of his outfit was slowly being stained a pure white, similar to Takuto's outfit.

"Did he-?!" Goro growled as he realised what Takuto was doing.

"Sadly, he's lost sight of himself… He's in pain. Now, be his guide… And together, escape this nightmare!" The Gentle Madman announced, staring up at his son with a sorrowful expression.

"Maruki-sensei! Please stop this!" Pleaded Sumire as terror coursed through her veins.

 _"No… No, I- I can't!"_ Arsene wailed as he clutched onto his head, flailing around wildly as he desperately tried to win back control from Azathoth. It became too much for him. _"I… I… I refuse to return to my life in chains! I will never go back to that dingy prison cell, ever again!"_

"What the hell… This so-called 'kindness' of his disgusts me. Let's do this quick." Goro grunted as he stared up at the berserk persona with a stressed grimace. Things just had to go from bad to worse, didn't they…? All Sumire could do was nod. The sight of her Senpai's cool and collected persona, deranged and desperate shook her to her core.

 _"I refuse to go back! I'm happy here…! This is where I belong!"_ Arsene denied their reality. Goro and Sumire drew their weapons once more, summoning Loki and Cendrillon to give them all the help they'd need.

"I'll rescue you… The only way I know how!" Takuto promised his unconscious son. Ren's face was peaceful yet pained. Goro scowled at Takuto's words… 'Rescue' my ass… The man ignored the hatred emanating his way as he clicked his fingers, summoning some shadows to provide backup to Arsene.

"Tch, it's gone totally berserk… We need to stop his persona! Sumire, we'll need your Bless skills for this, but stay alert! Don't forget that you're weak to Arsene's Curse." Goro ordered, trying his best to stay on top of this insane situation.

"Understood. I'll be relying on you for defense, Senpai!" She agreed instantly, forcing herself to be strong for Ren's sake.

 _"I'll take that!"_ Arsene announced with a smug scoff, grabbing onto one of the reinforcement shadows… and absorbed it. Goro and Sumire stared at the scene in horror.

"It ate the smaller one…?! What a pain… We'll have to beat it before it heals itself again…" Goro clicked his tongue, ignoring the nervous sweat dripping down his chin. Sumire gulped as she tried to calm herself.

"C-Cendrillon!" She commanded her persona, buffing their small team in preparation for what promised to be a challenging battle. The remaining shadow responded by buffing Arsene. Goro's brain went into overdrive as he desperately tried to think up a more concrete plan. Dammit! There really wasn't a lot that just the two of them could do…! All they could do was follow Goro's basic plan and hope for the best.

"Loki!" He screeched. The striped persona sprung into action, tearing it's sword straight through the shadow. The fewer reinforcements, the better. Sumire took this chance to strike.

"Cendrillon! Kougaon!"

The glass-like persona obeyed, firing her most powerful bless attack at Arsene. The berserk persona tried his best to block it, however his efforts were useless as it hit him head on. A pained grunt escaped his mouth at the excruciating strike. A relieved smirk appeared on Goro's face. Good. The reinforcements were gone and bless attacks were doing a considerable amount of damage. Yes, this was going to work!

Takuto watched the battle with a calm, collected expression as he lifted his arm.

_Click!_

More reinforcements appeared.

Goro's sense of victory vanished.

"...Shit…" was all he could mutter as Arsene grabbed onto another shadow and used it to heal himself. All they could do was go through the process again and hope to do a little more damage.

And so they repeated the process.

And again.

And again.

And again.

The outcome never changed.

They would defeat the shadows, weaken Arsene, Maruki would summon more shadows, Arsene would heal, and the vicious cycle continued. The only difference was that Goro and Sumire became more ragged and run down.

"Dammit, there's no end to this! Just what the hell is this thing?!" Growled Goro as he leaned on his knee, gasping for breath. Ren remained hung in the air, showing no signs of awakening anytime soon.

 _"I refuse to return! I will never go back to being such pathetic, worthless garbage!"_ Arsene declared with a hostile yell.

Sumire grimaced. "Is that really how Senpai sees himself…?"

"You can't tell? It's his refusal to accept the truth…" Takuto informed them with a dejected frown. Why couldn't they understand? Why were they so insistent on Ren facing the truth that caused him endless pain? It made no sense…

"Tch… We can't afford to waste time on this shit!" Spat Goro as he began to grow infuriated at this futile struggle.

"Th-There has to be a way to get through…" Sumire gasped in exhaustion. A guttural growl rumbled through Arsene's throat as the red glow throughout his body grew brighter. The black was completely stained white. The energy radiating from him was suffocating. A sense of dread washes through Goro as Arsene charged up another attack. With an enraged scream, Arsene launched Eigaon at the duo.

"Shit!" Hissed Goro as he flung himself in front of Sumire in a desperate attempt to protect her. But he knew it wouldn't change anything. The two simply squeezed their eyes shut in preparation for their demise.

"I don't think so!"

A voice declared as a blonde boy suddenly sped past the two, positioning himself in front of them and blocking the attack. Arsene lowered his hand in surprise and waited for the smoke to clear.

"Wh-Who?" Gasped Sumire, thankful for their sudden saviour. As the dust settled, a skull mask revealed itself.

 _"Y-You…?!"_ Arsene yelped in shock. The white faded for a split second.

"Dammit, Skull, I told you not to rush in by yourself!" A boyish voice huffed in annoyance from behind them.

"At least it seemed to work out in our favour." A girl with an iron mask remarked thankfully as the masked group positioned themselves around the injured duo. A grateful smirk appeared on Goro's face.

"It's about time you showed up." He puffed, feigning irritation.

"Our apologies for making you wait so long." Yusuke apologized, drawing his katana. Haru's eyes widened at the scene on the ground in front of her.

"Is that…?"

"Akechi-kun? And Yoshizawa-san?! And Maruki-sensei too?!" Ann finished her sentence with a confused gasp.

"W-Wait! And that's-!" Morgana yelped as he noticed what was happening above them. Everyone looked up to see what the cat had discovered.

"Ren?!" Ryuji hollered at the sight of his unconscious best friend, bound by… whatever the hell that creepy-ass looking thing was.

"Wh-What's his persona doing?!" Demanded Futaba as she began scanning frantically for an answer.

"What in the world is going on here?!" Morgana shrieked as the insanity began to overwhelm his mind.

"I'll explain later! Just help us save Ren already!" Goro spat, taking the opportunity to heal himself and Sumire.

"It's a long story! But, Ren-senpai needs our help! Please we have to save him!" Sumire pleaded as she summoned Cendrillon once more.

"R-Right!" Makoto agreed as the thieves assembled themselves into a battle formation.

"Okay, guys, leave the navigation to me! Let's push 'em back!" Futaba announced as she entered her persona and began collecting any and all information she could find.

"Unbelievable… Why did they come here?" Takuto muttered in disbelief. Why…? Did they want Ren to suffer too?! Why could no one understand how much pain he was in?!

 _"Stay away!"_ Arsene screeched, slashing his bladed heels at the group in a frantic attack. The group dodged with ease.

"What's the information you have already?" Makoto demanded, shooting a serious glance over at Goro.

"Everything we already knew about Arsene. Strong to curse, weak to bless. Ice doesn't do much either, however the shadows seem to be weak to ice. But, Arsene can heal himself by absorbing them and Maruki can summon an endless amount of them." Goro gave his report as he carefully watched Arsene's movements. Makoto's brow furrowed thoughtfully as she used the information to formulate a plan.

"Alright. Skull, Noir and Yoshizawa-san focus your attacks on Arsene. Crow, Fox and Panther attack the shadows and Mona and myself will focus on healing any injuries. Futaba, we'll need to figure out what's happening to Ren and Arsene." She ordered as summoned Anat, ready to put her plan into action.

"Right!" A chorus of voices responded as the group got to work. Arsene reached out to absorb one of the new reinforcements.

"Diamond Dust!" Yusuke shouted as Kamu-Susanoo charged towards them and froze them solid.

 _"Wh-?!"_ Arsene gasped as he flinched his hand away.

"Die already!" Squawked Goro as he sent over Loki, who immediately sliced the shadows clean in two. Takuto immediately summoned two more shadows to replace them. Ann sprung out from behind Yusuke, wielding her Tommy gun with an excited smirk.

"Surprise!" She exclaimed as she unleashed the spray of bullets, sending them flying all over the battlefield. Azathoth quickly wrapped it's tendrils around Takuto to protect him from the bullet shower. As it lowered it's tendrils, Takuto stared at the group, eyes wide open in shock. H-How were these teenagers so skilled with battle tactics?

The other group were also making good headway; Ryuji and Haru slowly whittling Arsene's health down with their hard hitting melee attacks while Sumire had the real damage with Cendrillon's bless attacks. Arsene grew more agitated with each injury he sustained.

 _"Why?! Get away!"_ He cried as he furiously flapped his large, glowing wings. Sumire and Haru could only just stand their ground against the powerful gusts of wind being blasted at them, while Ryuji was sent flying backwards.

"Dammit! I forgot Arsene could use wind skills! I'm sorry, Ryuji!" Makoto apologised as the healing team tried to rush over from the shadow team.

"I-It's fine… Mistakes happen… Shit, that hurt…" Ryuji hissed through gritted teeth, clutching onto a dislocated shoulder from his awkward landing.

 _"N-No… This isn't right… This is wrong…!"_ Arsene muttered anxiously as he clutched onto his head, white and black swirling around chaotically in his clothing.

"Crap! He's charging up Salvation! He's going to heal himself! Hurry!" Futaba yelped as she processed the information she scanned from the out of control persona. It was too late. Arsene cast the spell.

"Dammit!"

But nothing happened to Arsene.

"H-Huh…?" Ryuji muttered in confusion. The rest of the group glanced over at the blonde. His shoulder was back in place. All of his cuts and bruises were gone. They turned their attention back to the frenzied Arsene.

"D-Did he just…?" Asked Sumire as she watched the colours clashing in Arsene's clothing. Just what on earth was going on?

"Ngh…" Takuto grunted quietly as a sudden pain shot through his chest. Arsene clung onto his head, flailing around wildly as he moaned in pain. Takuto looked up anxiously at his son, taking in every detail of his peaceful expression. He had to win this, for him… He had to!

"It looks like it's working - Just hang in there a little longer!" Futaba exclaimed.

 _"I-I can't lose… N-No, that's not… I don't want…"_ Arsene muttered to himself as he exhaustedly tried to push himself off his hands and knees.

"What is going on with him…?" Yusuke couldn't help but ask. Arsene was Ren's inner self, after all. It was only natural to be concerned.

"I-I think he's fighting for control…" Futaba anxiously announced, scanning her eyes across the information she gathered from the ominous persona clinging onto Ren.

"Y-You mean, that… thing is controlling him?" Ann queried with a nervous whimper.

"W-Well… It's half and half…"

"Whaddya mean, 'half and half'?!"

"I don't know! I'm still trying to figure it out!"

"For now, let's focus on taking him down, okay?!" Makoto butted in, cutting the argument short as she fired Freidyne at the persona. Goro glowered spitefully at Takuto.

"Bastard…!" He hissed under his breath. How dare he?! Saving Ren? Bullshit! Does 'saving' him really entail taking advantage of his out of control emotions?! He was pulled out of those thoughts by Arsene falling back from a harsh hit from Haru's grenade launcher.

"He's almost done! Just another hit!" Futaba announced urgently.

"Sumire! End this! You're our best shot!" Goro screeched. The redhead flinched at the sudden pressure but replied with a determined nod.

"Come, Cendrillon! Let's save Senpai!" She declared dramatically. Cendrillon obeyed. She gracefully extended her hand and gathered all of her remaining strength. Arsene saw what she was doing, but didn't have the energy to evade.

 _"S-Stop it…!"_ He pleaded weakly. Cendrillon ignored his plea and fired. The white light engulfed the persona, making him scream in pain. As the light faded, Arsene collapsed onto the ground with an exhausted huff.

 _"Ah… It seems I'm destined to remain trapped in these chains… For all eternity…"_ He lamented woefully. It was over. He had lost. Accepting his defeat, Arsene silently returned to his mask. Ren's thief outfit dissipated, replaced by his usual clothes. The battle had taken its toll on Azathoth as well. It's grip on Ren weakened; the boy's wrists and ankles slipped free.

He fell.

"Ren!" Takuto cried as he rushed forward to catch him. He was stopped in his tracks by a bullet being shot directly at him. The person who fired was Goro.

"Stay the hell away from him." The chestnut haired teen spat with a seething rage. He cautiously shuffled backwards, keeping his gun pointed at Takuto while Ryuji caught Ren.

"Ren! You okay?! Can you hear me?!" The blonde frantically asked as he held onto his best friend's limp body.

"Clearly a lot's happened… He's probably exhausted…" Makoto commented, hoping to soothe the entire group's nerves.

"G-Give him back!" Growled Takuto. His expression surprised everyone. They had never seen such rage on his face before.

"No! Can't you see how much you've hurt him?!" Sumire shrieked, shocked by her own words as they left her words. Takuto's eyes widened.

"How I…?" His expression transformed from shock to anger. "You're the ones hurting him! Why do you insist on making him face the truth when all it does is cause him pain?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but we'd never hurt Ren!" Ann argued as the entire group crouched down next to the raven haired boy.

"Whatever this 'truth' is, surely it would be best for him to face and overcome it, right?!" Yusuke pointed out.

"Right! That's what I did with my mum and I'm stronger than ever!" Futaba added.

"Yes! It's thanks to those adversities that we grew and became the people we are today!" Haru joined in.

"It's not always that easy!" Takuto shot back as he anxiously stared at his son.

"Maruki-sensei, I know you think this is best for him, but it isn't! Trust me, running from your pain only makes it more painful… It will only grow until it gets to the point that it's too much to bear…" Sumire desperately tried to get the agitated man to understand.

"That's enough!" Was his response as Azathoth recovered from it's fatigue. It shot one of it's tendrils forward, towards Ren.

"Not on my watch!" Shouted Morgana as he flung a smoke bomb at Takuto. As it exploded, smoke flooded the entire room. Azathoth froze, unable to determine Ren's whereabouts in the foggy haze. "Let's move!"

Morgana waved his paws, gesturing for the group to follow him through the door he held open.

"R-Right!" Ryuji hurriedly agreed as he grabbed onto Ren and lifted him from the ground. Goro helped him balance Ren carefully on his back as they ran away from the Palace ruler.

"Ngh! Ren!" Takuto cried as he ran forward, pushing his way through the thick, suffocating smoke. Where?! Where was he?! The smoke cleared, revealing an empty room. Takuto's eyes widened as his face morphed into a horrified expression, a nervous sweat dripping down his chin. Hurriedly, he clicked his fingers and summoned more shadows.

"Yes, My Lord?"

"Hurry! Track them down! They can't steal Ren!"

"Understood, Sir!"

The shadows rushed through the door in pursuit of the thieves. All Takuto could do was stand there, in the middle of the room, and try not to let his anxiety swallow him whole.

"The hell…? All that happened to Ren?" Ryuji gasped in disbelief as Goro and Sumire finished explaining the entire situation. The group stood there in front of the palace in Odaiba, trying to make sense of the insane amount of information that had been dumped on them.

"Y'know… I always thought he and Maruki-sensei looked similar… Never expected them to be father and son, though…" Ann remarked thoughtfully.

"But, a persona that can completely rewrite someone's cognition? That's a rather terrifying thought…" Muttered Yusuke, glancing down at the ground with a troubled expression.

"What exactly happened to make Ren that desperate to escape his memories, though?" Murmured Haru as she shot the still unconscious Ren a worried gaze.

"We're still not sure… All we've been able to discover is that something happened which resulted in his mother's death… And Ren-senpai saw it happen…" Sumire answered dejectedly. She knew how painful that occurrence was.

"I suppose that explains why Maruki-sensei was so desperate to get Ren back…" Sighed Makoto as her brain broke all of the information into smaller sections to make more sense of everything.

"Putting their family issues aside for now; the fact is that Maruki has distorted reality itself. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I have no intention in spending the rest of my life locked up in a prison of illusions, no matter how pretty it is." Goro changed the subject, hoping to make some progress on the more pressing issue.

"Yeah… I didn't go through hell for all of my struggles to mean nothing in the end…" Futaba answered with a frown.

"Right. Not to mention, the only other enemy we've had that's been that strong was Yaldabaoth… And he was a god. The fact that Maruki is as strong, maybe even stronger, than a god is concerning to say the least…" Morgana stated with a serious expression. There had to be some sort of catalyst for this sudden power, right?

"But, how exactly are we gonna take down this fake reality?" Asked Ryuji. Goro scoffed at his question.

"You're the incredible Phantom Thieves, isn't the solution obvious?"

"You believe changing Maruki-sensei's heart will fix everything?" Ann enquired, nervously twirling her hair around her finger.

"Well, he has a palace, right? Isn't that proof?" Sumire tilted her head curiously. She still didn't quite understand the whole change of heart thing, but that was how it worked, right?

"Precisely, Sumire. Especially since his Palace is clearly the center of the distortions. I mean, look: It's visible in the real world. If we get rid of his palace, everything should return to normal." Goro concluded, placing his hand on his chin as he considered any other possibilities.

"Nnh…"

A quiet groan ceased their conversation as the entire group focused their attention on Ren. The raven haired boy stirred, still leant against Ryuji's back. His eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Ren! Are you alright?" Morgana asked, excitedly to finally see him awake.

"I…"

"Can you stand?" Ryuji asked gently.

"Oh, yes…"

Ryuji nodded as he carefully lowered Ren onto the ground, only letting go after making absolutely sure that Ren could stand on his own. The raven haired boy stared down at the ground in shame, unable to bring himself to make eye contact with any of his friends.

"I… I-I'm sorry… For all the trouble I caused…" He eventually muttered.

"No, no, you don't have to apologise!" Ann assured him.

An awkward silence fell over the group as Ren didn't respond. Goro broke the silence by clearing his throat.

"It's been a very long day… Perhaps we should discuss this tomorrow when we've all rested and cleared our heads?" He suggested, mostly with Ren's current state in mind.

"I-I agree! It's best to tackle something like this when we're all bright eyed, right?" Sumire quickly added.

"Right, let's meet up tomorrow so we can- … Oh, right… The third semester starts tomorrow…" Ryuji huffed tiredly as that realisation hit him.

"Oh, yeah… We've really gotta go to school at a time like this, huh?" Ann puffed with a disappointed frown.

"We'll figure something out." Makoto replied, pulling out her phone and checking the time. As everyone thought quietly to themselves, Ren began to silently walk away.

"Oh! Ren! Where are you going?" Yusuke hurriedly called out to him. Ren stopped, not turning back to look at them as he spoke.

"... I need some time to think… By myself."

Yusuke forced an understanding smile onto his face to hide his worry. "Of course… Take care, okay?"

Ren didn't answer. He just carried on walking.

"Um, S-Senpai?" Sumire softly called out. Ren stopped again. "If… If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you. Feel free to call me at anytime."

Ren's head turned slightly before turning back to facing forward.

"... Hm." Was his bland reply as he began walking away again.

"Oh! Wait, Ren! You're not wearing your glasses; will you be able to get home alright?" Haru cried as she suddenly remembered that detail. Ren simply carried on walking. Morgana jogged after him, closely followed by Futaba.

"Futaba and I'll keep an eye on him. You guys should probably head home as well." The cat informed them before galloping off to catch up to Ren.

"I'll message the group chat to keep you posted on Ren, okay? See you tomorrow." Futaba added, pulling out her phone and waving as she sped off to catch up with the others.

"Right… Well, see you guys tomorrow, I guess…" Ryuji muttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as he began to leave as well. Everyone else followed suit.

"Right…"

"Yeah."

"Okay…"

"See you tomorrow, then…"

"Um… See you tomorrow, Senpai." Sumire called out to Goro as she walked away, glancing back at him worriedly.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow. Good luck at school, Sumire." Goro replied, staying where he stood. The area fell silent as he was the only one who remained. He looked up at the palace with a determined glare.

"Just you wait… I'll take you down, for everything you've done."

A rapid tapping sound echoed through the auditorium as Takuto stressfully paced about, waiting for the shadows to return with Ren in tow. They had to get him back… They had to…

"U-Um… My Lord?" A shadow anxiously spoke up as they timidly entered the room.

"Yes?!" Takuto whipped around to face them, awaiting their report with anticipation.

"I-I'm afraid that the thieves managed to escape the laboratory… And they took the Young Lord with them…" The shadow informed him with an apologetic bow of its head. A distressed huff escaped Takuto's mouth as his eyes widened in horror. He could feel heart beating rapidly against his chest as panic rose within him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I… I see. Thank you for your report. Return to your post." He muttered as he turned away and began walking up the stairs to where Ren was sat earlier that day.

"Yes, Sir… I'm sorry, Sir…" The shadow replied dejectedly, upset that they had failed their ruler. Takuto collapsed into the chair as he tried to figure out his next move. He couldn't allow Ren to stay in that reality… All of those memories would torment him almost constantly… The effects of that could be… devastating, to say the least. He absent-mindedly slid his hand in his pocket as he stared up at the brightly lit ceiling.

"Hm?" He hummed curiously as his hand brushed against something. Pulling it out, his eyes widened in surprise as he discovered the object was Ren's glasses. He clutched desperately onto the glasses, holding them against his chest. The vivid memory of Ren as a young child, blood on his face and tears streaming from his terrified eyes flashed through Takuto's mind.

"I'm sorry, Ren… I wasn't there to protect you and Rumi that day… But, I swear I'll make it right." The father whispered, tightening his grip on his son's glasses. He pushed himself back up and stared up at the ceiling. A determined glint shone in his eyes.

"I'll save you, I promise."


End file.
